The bathroom is an area of the house that few people think about renovating. This is usually because the bathroom itself is a place that we use for a couple of purposes and nothing more. Unlike our living room or even the bedroom, the bathroom is used for cleaning or relieving ourselves and nothing more. It serves a few functions then we close the door and get on with our lives. This is why few people worry about renovating their bathrooms and choose to upgrade other parts of their home that see more use.

Why renovate the bathroom?There are plenty of reasons to give some love and attention to your bathroom. For starters, a bathroom can be surprisingly uplifting if done correctly. Much like how plants and pictures can improve your mood when you walk into a well-designed room, a sparkling new bathroom painted in the right colours and loaded with the right decor can completely transform your morning routine. It’ll change the way you relax when having a bath and it can improve your mood significantly.

Renovating the bathroom is also great for when you’re expecting children. Most people would think about adding a new bedroom, installing a bunk bed or even making their homes more secure when they’re expecting children. However, you can also renovate the bathroom to be more suitable for the kids as well. For instance, adding more hard-to-reach storage can keep kids from accidentally grabbing your shaving razors or toxic cleaning supplies, and you can also add extras like a step ladder so they can use the sink without standing on their toes.

Bathroom renovations can also happen as a result of structural damage in the home. It should come as no surprise that a bathroom without sufficient support or ventilation can become victim to mould or mildew damage. This is more common than you might think, and most of the damage is difficult to see until it’s too late and it’s already spreading around your home. A full renovation can help by removing all of the mould or mildew and by repairing any structural damage that has been caused as a result of neglect. If you plan to sell your home in the future, then saying that you’ve recently renovated your bathroom is a great way to add value and get more for your sale.

Now that we’ve established a couple of reasons on why you should renovate your bathroom, let’s go over the steps it takes to accomplish it.

Start by taking picturesWithout pictures, you won’t have a good set of images to reference. Start by taking pictures of everything in your bathroom. Take a picture of the shower, the bathtub, the ceilings, the toilet and even the general layout. You can then reference these pictures in the future to create a before and after comparison, or you could use the images to help you create a design idea, or perhaps you’ll give the images to a dedicated designer so they can draw up a floor plan and help with some initial ideas. There are many different uses for these pictures, so remember to take plenty before you get started.

Gather ideas for your bathroomNext, make sure you have some ideas for your bathroom. You don’t want to start renovating your bathroom without having any idea of what you’d like to see, so go on websites like Pinterest.com and look on the internet for inspiration. If you’d prefer physical media, then you could always look at magazines or textbooks that focus on renovations. However, the internet is far more accessible and you have the ability to save all the images you find interesting so you can reference them in the future for your design. The important thing here is to open yourself up to as many possibilities as possible. This will give you far more designs to work with and it will ultimately shape how you want your bathroom to look. Everything from the colours to the theme and the decor will be important, so write it all down.

Write or draw your plans on paperYou don’t need to be a fantastic designer or artist to write or draw your ideas down. Even a rough sketch could be good enough if you have some experience putting pen to paper. However, if you really don’t want to sketch out your ideas, then keep a list of things that you absolutely must include in your bathroom design. It doesn’t have to be extremely specific details. Adding things like “tranquil look” or “spa-like feel” are good enough. If you’re using magazines to gather inspiration, try to take photocopies of the images you find and add them to a scrapbook. If you’re doing it digitally on a laptop or computer, then save the images and make a folder with all of your ideas so it’s easier to reference later.

Prepare your budgetIt’s not cheap to get a bathroom design done, so make sure you’re prepared to spend a lot of money. There are, of course, cheaper ways to get things done. Companies like Drench.co.uk offer some fantastic deals for the price, and there are also other companies that offer similar value for money. However, the higher you go, the better quality the materials usually are. There will be a point where the money you spend doesn’t equate to better quality, and instead, you’ll start paying for designer names. Try and find the right balance of value and quality when possible so that you’re not overspending and exceeding your budget. Next, you’ll also need to plan how much money you want to use on your actual project. Some people would prefer to do the work themselves, so they would need to look into the cost of tools and materials. However, if you’re going to hire a contractor, then look around and ask for quotes on prices so you get a better understanding of how much money they will charge. Lastly, add about 25% more onto your finalised budget. This will cover most surprise expenses that you could encounter.

Deciding between DIY and calling for helpTwo big determining factors for the success of your project are time and money. Without one or the other, you’re going to end up failing and you won’t have a successful bathroom renovation. If you have more time than money, then you may want to invest in learning how to do your own DIY work. There will be a lot of trial and error and it may end up costing just as much or more than you would’ve expected to pay for a contractor, but this is only true until you’ve learned how to do DIY properly. If you have more money than time, then hiring a contractor is usually the only way to go. You’ll save a lot of time and effort (at least, after you’ve finished planning it) and it’s unlikely that the contractor will fail their end of the bargain. If you’re willing to pay more, then you could also hire a designer to help you decide what the best look for your bathroom would be.

Get in touch with designers and contractorsIf you’ve decided to do your own DIY work then this section won’t apply to you. But if you’ve decided to rely on contractors and designers for your renovation, then make sure you get in touch with them as soon as possible so you can reserve their time. For designers, make sure you have all of your compiled images and ideas ready so you can hand it over to them digitally (or physically if they’re local) so you can work together to plan out your ideal bathroom. If you’re speaking to contractors, then make sure you try and book it during a period that is convenient for you. Ideally, you’ll want to have the designer working together with the contractors, but there are turnkey solutions that provide both a competent designer and the contractors to carry out the work.

Plan ahead for your renovationsLastly, make sure you plan ahead with your renovations. You don’t want to renovate your bathroom for a long time if it’s your only bathroom—how else are you going to use the toilet or shower? Make sure you plan ahead so that any problems you encounter can be fixed or dealt with during the renovation. If your kids are having a stressful exam period, then the last thing you want is to bother them with no access to the shower or toilet due to renovations.

Some final wordsFollow these tips and you’ll have little issue with your renovation. It’s all about planning ahead and making sure that your ideas are solid before deciding to go through with them. Ensure you have plenty of money for your renovation with a lenient budget, and enlist the best help possible that there’s little chance of the entire project collapsing and failing.

Amy Marie. Twenty something, single mum of one little girl. Lives in a small town on the Scottish border but misses the city life. Loves reading, iced coffee, Disney, good food and autumn colours. A Fairy Tales addicted with an eclectic sense of style, who enjoys thrifting and cooking.